The Pompidou Group has had a longstanding interest in the subject of precursor diversion, organising a first conference on the subject, when it was far less in vogue
than today, back in 1992. In the current Programme of Activities, the Precursor Network, together with the Airports Group, has become one of the success stories of the PG
in the area of law enforcement.

Multidisciplinarity, transversality and the pan-European dimension are key notions of the Council of Europe reform. They do also apply in the framework of the activity
of the precursor diversion network, which aims at bringing together representatives of law enforcement, regulatory boards granting export and import authorisations,
specialised prosecutors and magistrates as well as representatives of the Chemical Industries Federation. Some of you have also suggested the participation of economic
operators and the chemical enterprises as cooperation with the private sector seems crucial. Fostering cooperation and mutual understanding among all different services
involved will enhance the impact of this activity and the impact of operational endeavours to prevent precursor diversion in the field.

All partners in this expert group are aware of the need for intensified and accelerated information exchange, the need to consider the penal chain as a whole, the need
for networking among all actors concerned and of the constant appearance of new problematic substances like the pre-precursors. This awareness will help to make best use
of the possibilities offered by this network, in particular in terms of contacts to be made on that occasion.

Precursor diversion very often constitutes a form of organised crime. In this respect, it is of utmost importance that the authorities concerned engage in backtracking investigations with a
view to identifying criminal networks involved in precursor diversion and in the large scale production of synthetic or traditional drugs. In this view, the knowledge of the existence and
the use of performant operational, technical and analytical instruments offered by the various international partners present in this network are an added value to its members.

The precursor diversion network also encourages the development of tangible and concrete instruments as the Pompidou Group did in the case of the Airports Group. Without duplicating the
activities of other international partners in the field, but in close cooperation with all relevant partners, the Pompidou group and the HELP-program of the council of Europe will contribute
to the development of an e-learning program and restricted website on precursor chemicals for drugs production.

The network of experts will also explore the possibility to come up with innovative recommendations with regard to the legal framework to be addressed to governments through the mechanism
of the Permanent Correspondents in case there are, in their view, any features of or gaps in the judicial chain that require further political attention on a national or international level.

Activities

Between 2009 and 2014 the Pompidou Group organised six conferences on the prevention of drug precursors diversion (more).

The next Precursor Network annual meeting will be held in Prague (Czech Republic) on 16-18 September 2015.

The documents of these conferences are published on a restricted Precursor website, which are only accessible to participants in
the Precursor Network.

A second Conference on the Prevention of Drug Precursors' Diversion was held in Strasbourg on 30 September/1 October 2010.The aims of the Conference were:

• To examine into mechanisms and their operational
modalities to improve information exchange and coordination
among law enforcement agencies and regulatory
authorities on a national level

• To raise awareness on opportunities for national regulatory
and law enforcement agencies to use existing
international cooperation tools in their
efforts to prevent drug precursors'
diversion

• To contribute to the improvement of inter-agency
cooperation on an international level through an open exchange
of views on issues of concern to all

On 13/14 October 2011, a conference on new threats arising
in the field of precursor diversion was held in Strasbourg.
The conference participants’ composition was tripartite
and included representatives from law enforcement services,
regulatory agencies and prosecutors/magistrates.
The aims of the conference were:

• To raise awareness of new threats in the field of precursor diversion

• To improve information exchange, coordination and networking among law enforcement agencies, regulatory authorities and prosecutors

• To examine gaps in the judicial chain from the identification of suspects consignments, investigations and backtracking, evidence collection, up to prosecution and sanction

• To contribute to the improvement of inter-agency cooperation on an international level.

On 28/30 November 2012 the Annual Meeting of the established Precursor Network "New threats challenges in the field of precursor diversion", took take place in Strasbourg. with the same objectives of 2011.